Sign support

ABSTRACT

A pole-mounted sign support in which an L-shaped channel is secured to a pole along one leg and a sign is supported along the other horizontal leg with means along one leg for supporting a sign to a pole and means along the horizontal leg for supporting a sign thereon.

United States Patent Inventor Harvey J. Smith Greensboro, N.C. Appl. No.881,967 Filed Dec. 4, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignee Modern MetalProducts Company, Inc.

Greensboro, N.C. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 749,124,July 31, 1968, now abandoned.

SIGN SUPPORT 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 248/221, 40/125 1-1, 52/38, 248/231 Int. Cl G091 7/16 Field ofSearch 248/221,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,218 12/1924 Barnard248/300 1,706,606 3/1929 Harkness. 248/300 1,640,525 8/1927 Belliveau...16/135 X 2,596,582 5/1952 Michel 52/38 X 3,015,804 1/1962 Nunn 248/166 X3,038,046 6/1962 Devine et a1 248/300 X Primary Examiner-J. FranklinFoss Attorney-David Rabin ABSTRACT: A pole-mounted sign support in whichan L- shaped channel is secured to a pole along one leg and a sign issupported along the other horizontal leg with means along one -leg forsupporting a sign to a pole and means along the horizontal leg forsupporting a sign thereon.

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INVE NTOR HARVEY J. SMITH SIGN surron'r This application is acontinuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 749,124, filedJuly 3I, 1968 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND, BRIEF SUMMARY, AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Various types ofsign supports are utilized in which the members are welded together toprovide the requisite strength and one of the legs may be secured to apost or pole. Usually an angle bracket or other suitable reinforcingmember is required in order to support the load from the horizontallyextending cantilever portion of the sign support. Sign supports forrelatively small signs used to identify business locations, includingbanks, identification for types of credit cards acceptable inestablishments, and general information signs including those fortraffic along highways, are nonuniform and unattractive although quitecostly to fabricate.

The sign support of this invention provides a sturdy L- shaped channelmember having a vertical leg for engaging a pole in a horizontalsign-supporting leg.

An object of this invention is to provide a unitary sign support in theform of a channel with means for supporting one leg of an L-shapedchannel to a post or pole and means depending from the other leg thatextends horizontally from the support for supporting a sign for swingingmovement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sign support thatmay be installed and removed readily by unskilled labor in a minimumperiod of time.

Other objectives of this invention will become more readily apparentfrom the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front perspective view ofthe sign support of this invention secured to a circular poleillustrating a suspended sign in outline form only;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial fragmentary view of a portion only of thehorizontal sign-supporting leg with an intermediate portion removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of the signsupport of the invention secured to a pole;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial fragmentary view of a portion of thehorizontal sign-supporting leg of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the modified embodiment of theinvention with the L-shaped sign support secured to a pole in aninverted position; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing andparticularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an L-shaped sign support 10 inthe form of a channel configuration in which there is a web 11 andopposed sidewalls l2 and 13 which form a U-shaped cross section. Anintegral vertical leg 14 of the sign support extends upwardly to engagethe cylindrical post or pole 15 whose diameter may vary considerably butthe terminal edges 16 of the sidewalls 12 and 13 will provide theengagement linearly along elements of the cylindrical post 15. Ahorizontally extending leg 17, preferably longer than the vertical leg14, is integrally formed with the vertical leg through the turned angleor radiused bend 18 with the leg extending at right angles to thevertical leg 14. The cantilever extending leg 17 has at its terminal enda closure cap 19 that is frictionally secured to the terminal end 20 ofthe horizontal leg 17. A pair of vertically spaced sign-supportingstrap-receiving clamping guides 21 and 22 are integrally formed in theweb 11 of the vertical leg 14 by suitably lancing the metal to form astrap guide which will cooperativereleasable clamping straps 23 and 2Awhich straps will encircle the pole l5. Clamping strap tightening screws25 and 26 on the clamping straps 23 and 24, of conventionalconstruction, may be tightened when the side is positioned at thedesired elevation in order to support frictionally the vertical leg 14of the sign support in position on the pole 15. The series of slots 27in the straps 23 and 24 are of conventional construction and areemployed in various types of hose clamps for engagement with thetightening screws to retain the straps 23 and 24 in position on the post15.

A pair of spaced-apart depending sign-supporting tabs 28 and 29 arelanced from the web 11 of the horizontal leg 17 leaving the apertures 30in the web 11 when the tabs are perpendicular to the web 11 with thedistance between the tabs 28 and 29 depending upon the overall length ofthe sign to be supported.

Preferably a brass or other suitable grommet 31 is secured to thedepending end 32 of the tabs 28 or 29 about the hookreceiving aperture33 formed therein. An S-shaped hook 34 is threaded through the tabopening 33 and the depending end 35 of the hook 34 cooperativelyreceives thereon the opening 36 is sign 37. Sign 37 may swing freelyfrom the horizontal leg 17 of the sign support.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 3 -7, tabs 40 and 41 are lanced fromthe web 11 of horizontally extending leg 17. The tabs 40 and 41 arerolled into generally circular configurations, as shown by FIGS. 4, 5and 7, leaving apertures 43 and 44. Sleeves or bearings 46 encircle asubstantial portion of the rolled tabs 40 and 41 for supporting straps45, as shown. While the bearings 46 may be constructed of any suitablematerial, preferably they are formed of nylon to preclude metal-to-metalcontact since the straps are permitted to pivot or swing about rolledtabs 40 and 41. The straps 45 are of generally U-shaped configurationhaving depending portions passing through openings 43 and 44 forsupporting a sign 37. A conventional fastener 47 extends throughopenings, not shown, provided in the strap-depending portions andthrough opening 36 provided in sign 37 for securing the sign to the signsupport 10'.

With the modified embodiment of the sign support 10, the horizontal andvertical legs 14, 17 may be mounted upon posts 15 as shown by FIGS. 3and 5 wherein the channel side walls 12 and 13 limit swinging movementof the straps 45 and sign 37, or the horizontal and vertical legs 14, 17may be mounted upon the posts 15 in an inverted manner as shown by FIGS.6 and 7. The modified support 10 may be readily and conveniently mountedin either position for supporting a sign by merely repositioning thestraps 45 on the bearings 46 and tabs 40. 41 as shown by FIG. 5 or byFIG. 7. In this manner the degree of swinging movement of the straps 45and sign 37 can be controlled, and the elevational of the sign may bevaried without shifting the support 10 vertically of the post 15.

In one preferred embodiment, the spacing between sidewalls l2 and 13 isapproximately 1% inches with the length of the sidewall being 1 inch.The vertical leg is 12 inches in length and the horizontal leg is 27inches in length.

The integral construction of the sign support 10 or 10' ohviates thenecessity for spotwelding the tabs and the clamping guides as well asobviates the necessity for mitering the vertical leg to the horizontalleg thereby providing a unitary structure which requires a minimum offabrication and assembly as well as minimum maintenance for installationand repairs.

I claim:

1. A sign support for mounting on a pole comprising: an L- shaped openchannel member having opposed spaced sidewalls and a web interconnectingsaid sidewalls, said channel having a vertical pole-engaging leg and ahorizontal signsupporting leg, said vertical leg having verticallyspaced strapreceiving clamping guides formed on said interconnectingweb, means spaced horizontally on said interconnecting web dependingbeneath said horizontal leg interconnecting web for directly pivotablysupporting a sign beneath said horizontal leg ly receive for slidingmovement therein the adjustable and interconnecting web, saidhorizontally spaced means depending from said web including tabsintegral with said web, and sign-supporting members pivotably mounted onsaid tabs.

2. A sign support as defined in claim 1, wherein said horizontallyspaced means extend from said web and are positioned substantiallybetween said sidewalls.

3. A sign support for mounting on a pole comprising: an L- shaped openchannel member having opposed spaced sidewalls and a web interconnectingsaid sidewalls, said channel having vertical pole-engaging leg and ahorizontal signsupporting leg, said vertical leg having verticallyspaced strapreceiving clamping guides formed on said interconnectingweb, and means spaced horizontally on said interconnecting web dependingbeneath said horizontal leg interconnecting web for directly pivotablysupporting a sign beneath said horizontal leg-interconnecting web, saidhorizontally means depending from said web including tabs integraltherewith and depending between said sidewalls, each of said tabs havingan opening therein adjacent the terminal end.

4. A sign support for mounting on a pole comprising: an L- shaped openchannel member having opposed spaced sidewalls and a web interconnectingsaid sidewalls, said channel having a vertical pole-engaging leg and ahorizontal signsupporting leg, said vertical leg having verticallyspaced strapreceiving clamping guides formed on said interconnectingweb, and means spaced horizontally on said interconnecting web dependingbeneath said horizontal leg-interconnecting web for directly pivotablysupporting a sign beneath said horizontal leg-interconnecting web, saidhorizontal leg spaced means depending from said web including tabsintegral therewith, a sign-supporting strap depending from each tab andmounted for displacement relative thereto, and means for releasablysecuring said strap to a sign.

5. A sign support as defined in claim 4, each of said tabs being ofgenerally circular configuration for pivotably supporting saidsign-supporting straps.

6. A sign support as defined in claim 4, wherein said signsupportingstraps are positioned below said side walls and pivotably mounted onsaid interconnecting web tabs.

1. A sign support for mounting on a pole comprising: an L-shaped openchannel member having opposed spaced sidewalls and a web interconnectingsaid sidewalls, said channel having a vertical pole-engaging leg and ahorizontal sign-supporting leg, said vertical leg having verticallyspaced strap-receiving clamping guides formed on said interconnectingweb, means spaced horizontally on said interconnecting web dependingbeneath said horizontal leg interconnecting web for directly pivotablysupporting a sign beneath said horizontal leg interconnecting web, saidhorizontally spaced means depending from said web including tabsintegral with said web, and sign-supporting members pivotably mounted onsaid tabs.
 2. A sign support as defined in claim 1, wherein saidhorizontally spaced means extend from said web and are positionedsubstantially between said sidewalls.
 3. A sign support for mounting ona pole comprising: an L-shaped open channel member having opposed spacedsidewalls and a web interconnecting said sidewalls, said channel havingvertical pole-engaging leg and a horizontal sign-supporting leg, saidvertical leg having vertically spaced strap-receiving clamping guidesformed on said interconnecting web, and means spaced horizontally onsaid interconnecting web depending beneath said horizontal leginterconnecting web for directly pivotably supporting a sign beneathsaid horizontal leg-interconnecting web, said horizontally meansdepending from said web including tabs integral therewith and dependingbetween said sidewalls, each of said tabs having an opening thereinadjacent the terminal end.
 4. A sign support for mounting on a polecomprising: an L-shaped open channel member having opposed spacedsidewalls and a web interconnecting said sidewalls, said channel havinga vertical pole-engaging leg and a horizontal sign-supporting leg, saidvertical leg having vertically spaced strap-receiving clamping guidesformed on said interconnecting web, and means spaced horizontally onsaid interconnecting web depending beneath said horizontalleg-interconnecting web for directly pivotably supporting a sign beneathsaid horizontal leg-interconnecting web, said horizontal leg spacedmeans depending from said web including tabs integral therewith, asign-supporting strap depending from each tab and mounted fordisplacement relative thereto, and means for releasably securing saidstrap to a sign.
 5. A sign support as defined in claim 4, each of saidtabs being of generally circular configuration for pivotably supportingsaid sign-supporting straps.
 6. A sign support as defined in claim 4,wherein said sign-supporting straps are positioned below said side wallsand pivotably mounted on said interconnecting web tabs.